Dr. Cameron’s Experience with Mesothelioma
Dr. Cameron has an impressive resume and a great deal of experience aiding patients with pleural mesothelioma. He’s responsible for creating the pleurectomy with decortication (P/D) which is credited with saving the lungs of many patients diagnosed with mesothelioma. He currently oversees both UCLA Hospital and the Los Angeles VA hospital’s mesothelioma programs.
Dr. Cameron’s history with UCLA’s School of Medicine began in 1984 when he received his medical degree. He chose to do his residency at the UCLA Medical Center in Surgery which lasted from 1985-1986, 1989-1992. In 1997 he became the UCLA Assistant Professor of Surgery
Dr. Cameron really started to attract attention when he became the head of the University of California Los Angeles Medical Center. He quickly established himself as a pioneer in the field of mesothelioma treatment. In addition to advocating for mesothelioma patients, he worked with patients in an assortment of clinical studies and sought a better way to treat the aggressive of cancer.
His efforts paved the way for him to develop the pleurectomy with decortication (P/D). At the time he hoped it served as an alternative form of treatment to extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP). At the time extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP) was the only viable form pleural mesothelioma treatment. Today, Cameron’s P/D treatment has saved the lungs and the lives of countless patients.
Dr. Cameron’s Experience and Accomplishments
- Responsible for the creation of pleurectomy with decortication
- He’s spent the last 20 years working with mesothelioma patients
- He’s the lead advisor for the Pacific Meso Center’s Scientific Advisory Board
- Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation co-founder
How Dr. Cameron Approaches Mesothelioma Treatment
Before Dr. Cameron developed pleurectomy with decortication for the treatment of pleural mesothelioma there was little chance for patients diagnosed with the aggressive form of cancer surviving. Dr. Cameron’s innovative treatment has done wonders to extend the lives of his patients.
Removal of the Pleurectomy
When a patient opts to use pleurectomy with decortication as their treatment, Dr. Cameron starts by removing the other lining of their lung, which is called the pleurectomy, which removes the tumors attached to the lining as well, decreasing the odds of cancer spreading to other parts of the body.
Decortication
After removing the pleurectomy, Dr. Cameron turns his attention to the lung’s inner lining and surface. Any tumors that have developed in these areas will need to be removed, which can be time-consuming and requires a great deal of care. The goal is the removal of all cancerous cells from the lung’s lobes. It’s this portion of the treatment that has led to the most extensive increase in the life expectancy of patients who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma.
Intraoperative Radiation Therapy
For most patients, having the tumors removed, makes up just one aspect of their treatment. Once the lungs are tumor free, the patients take part in intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) which effectively kills any cancerous cells that weren’t removed during surgery. Since the radiation removes even microscopic cells, patients who include it as part of their treatment, routinely enjoy a longer life than those that don’t.
Types of Treatment Available at West Los Angeles VA
The Elmo Zumwalt Comprehensive Mesothelioma Program at the West Los Angeles VA was created with a great deal of assistance from Dr. Cameron and is designed to provide veterans who are suffering from mesothelioma with high quality, comprehensive medical care. Today, health care professionals all over the world consider the mesothelioma treatments offered at the West LA VA program to be the very best.
Veterans who becomes patients at the West Los Angeles VA have access to:
- Surgical Treatments
- Chemotherapy
- Participation Clinical Trials
- Radiation Therapy
When veterans turn to the West Los Angeles VA for their mesothelioma treatment they can anticipate:
- Treatments overseen by Dr. Cameron
- Reduced rates
- Treatment that’s equal to, or even better than the treatment provided by some of the top cancer treatment centers in the world.
It’s in the best interest of any veteran who’s been diagnosed with mesothelioma to seek out Dr. Cameron’s assistance in their treatment.